"Molotov Speaks Again”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20094, 14 November 1939, Page 10

"Molotov Speaks Again”

Sir.—You refer in your leader to M. Litvinov as having been "liquidated." As you also refer to the Trotskyists us having been “liquidated"— they were mostly all shot as traitors after a fair trial—your readers can only infer that M. Litvinov suffered a similar penally, but it so happens tlie same issue of the Herald records his public appearance in company with M. Stalin and others. Your suggestions that M. Molotov is incapable of consistency and that he has formed a “new” enemy in the Socialists, linking them with the capitalists, are the views that the capitalists are trying to get the public to swallow. If we study Russian history and literature dealing with the rise of the Lenin-Stalin regime we discover only too clearly the part played by the Social Democrats and Lenin, Stalin, and Molotov’ have always stressed the necessity of closely watching their actions. It was the treachery of the Social Democrats that sold the workers’ cause in both Italy and Germany and enabled Mussolini and Hitler to gain the ascendancy. So we see they are no “new" enemy discovered by Molotov.

You credit the Soviet with changing from a communistic to a socialistic policy, whereas it has been clearly stated by Lenin, Stalin and others that "before we can consider communism we must first btliid socialism,” and in March of this year Stalin stated that “we are now able to say we have created the first or lower phase of communism, that is socialism.” The suggestion that the meaning of “proletarian internationalism” is anybody's guess and seems to be merely another name for the policy advocated by the Trotskyites, is absurd. Anyone should know’ the meaning and elaboration is unnecessary, while the Moscow trials fully exposed Trotsky’s diabolical schemes.

Although you suggest there is no collapse of internal conditions in Britain and France, the millions of unemployed signify nothing else but the collapse of the capitalist system. When Molotov says “Russia has become still more terrifying,” this is not to be taken in the manner you suggest, for both Molotov and Stalin have repeatedly stated that, as a result of her phenomenal advances from a state of illiteracy, pauperism and serfdom to that of the second industrial country of the world in so short a space of time, she is becoming “more terrifying to the international financiers, who see as a result the early collapse of the entire capitalist system.” It is definitely unfair to suggest that Poland, Latvia, Estonia, etc., are foreign adventures and spoliation of foreign, lands. The entry into Poland saved the lives of millions of Russians and saved the calamity that bcfel the part of Poland occupied by Germany, while the Governments of the smaller States have stated they have every reason to be satisfied with the new Russian treaties.

You suggest Russia agreed to do for Germany was America is to do for the Allies, that is, supply her wilh t war materials, but your own paper has reported in large headlines that Stalin will not help Hitler in this war. It has also been reported that Russia cannot produce enough for herself, let alone supply Germany: but, strangely enough, the Herald has reported the fact that Russia has shipped enormous quantities of manganese ore to America, and. this no doubt will be used to make munitions for the Allies.

When you suggest that the task of reconciling all these diverse and conflicting statements is beyond the average individual I agree, but qualify the statement with the words “if he relies for his information solely on capitalist sources.”

VERITAS,

[Apparently the only way to learn the truth about Russia is to ignore all that M. Stalin, M. Molotov, other Russian leaders and the Russian press have to say and (o rely exclusively on the propaganda sent out from Moscow to its admirers overseas. If this is done, everything can be understood and explained.—Ed„ Herald.]